Indian Licence in Macau 2026: Keep Left, Pack a 1949 IDP

Macau is one of the few trips abroad where an Indian driver keeps to the familiar side of the road. It is also a place where many visitors decide a car is more trouble than it is worth.

The licence and the permit

India and Macau meet on the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: India has been a party since 1962, and when China resumed sovereignty over Macao it told the UN that the convention would also apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region. The 1949-model International Driving Permit issued by your RTO is therefore the document designed for this trip. Carry it with your Indian licence and passport, and arrange it before you fly. The Driving Permit Checker covers other legs of an Asian route.

No side switch

India drives on the left and so does Macau, like Hong Kong next door. There is no reversed roundabout and no wrong-way reflex at junctions. What replaces it is density: Canada’s travel advice describes the roads as narrow and winding and traffic as usually congested.

Do you need a car at all?

Taxis are widely available, though most drivers do not speak English, so have your destination written in Chinese characters. Several casinos and leisure venues run their own shuttles, and public transport is reliable around the tourist areas. Canada also notes that certain ride-hailing apps are illegal in Macao. If you do drive, do not drink at all beforehand. GOV.UK lists 999 for ambulance, fire and police; Canada says 112 also connects.

Sources

• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (India ratified 1962; China’s notification extending the convention to the Macao SAR): treaties.un.org
• Global Affairs Canada, Macao travel advice (narrow, winding roads; congestion; taxis, casino shuttles, illegal ride-sharing apps; dial 112): travel.gc.ca
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Macao getting help (999 for ambulance, fire and police): gov.uk